Verbatim Wireless Slim Keyboard and Mouse 96983 (Black)

by Verbatim

Product Details

• Item Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00310PJM0
• Item model number: 96983
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #984 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

  #34 in

  Electronics > Computers & Accessories > Mice & Keyboards > Keyboards

• Date first available at Amazon.com: December 16, 2009

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Save space and avoid cord clutter! Verbatim's Wireless Slim Keyboard Mouse features a space-saving design with low-profile keys that provide a crisp, responsive feel when typing. The sleek piano black finish on this ultra-slim keyboard offers a modern look that fits your workspace. With 2.4GHz wireless communications, there are no annoying delays in what you type versus what you see on screen. Music lovers can enjoy a media console that lets you control your favorite tunes directly from the keyboard. Great for saving space, this keyboard's slim design and wireless mouse help create a pristine desktop.

Features
Design - Ultra slim, this thin-profile keyboard and mouse enhance your digital lifestyle.

2.4 GHz Wireless - Enjoy the latest in reliable hassle-free wireless technology.

Media Console - Play, Pause... control your tunes from the convenient Media Console.

Low Profile Keys - Quiet, soft-touch keys provide a crisp, responsive feel when typing.

Slim Receiver - Connect and forget with the slim design of the wireless receiver.

Warranty - One year limited warranty. Verbatim manufactures our products to meet strict quality standards. We stand behind the quality of our products and offer some of the strongest warranties in the industry.

About Verbatim
Verbatim provides technology you can trust-we've done so for over 40 years. Our products include an impressive selection of removable storage and computer peripherals, featuring a wide range of highly acclaimed CD, DVD and Blu-ray media products. Verbatim also offers an array of lightning fast desktop and portable hard drives, USB flash drives, memory cards, stylish, feature-rich mice and keyboards and a broad range of replacement laser toner cartridges. Buy Verbatim and you get innovation, security and reliability-and that means peace of mind.

Tips for Getting Started
Using your new Wireless Slim Keyboard and Mouse is easy:

1. Insert (2) AAA batteries into the keyboard and (2) AA batteries into the mouse.
2. Plug receiver into USB port
3. Install software and complete introduction.

Now you're ready to use your new keyboard and mouse.

What's in the Box
Keyboard, Mouse, Receiver, 2x AA Batteries, 2x AAA Batteries, Software CD, Quick Start Guide

Product Description

If you’re looking for a keyboard that saves space, try Verbatim’s Wireless Slim Keyboard & Mouse. Designed with a piano black finish, this keyboard features low profile keys that provide a crisp, responsive feel when typing. This ultra-slim keyboard offers 2.4 Ghz wireless communication – that means no annoying delays in what you type and what you see on-screen and no cord clutter. If you’re in to music, the media console lets you control your favorite tunes directly from the keyboard. With its slim design and a wireless mouse, this keyboard is a perfect space-saver. Package includes: Keyboard, Mouse, Receiver, 2 x AA Batteries, 2 x AAA Batteries, Software CD, Quick Start Guide

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice Responsive Feel, Slim and Sleek, February 22, 2010

By	K. Groh (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Verbatim Wireless Slim Keyboard and Mouse 96983 (Black) (Electronics)

(What's this?)

I installed this keyboard on a computer running Windows 7. No problems with installation, in fact, I did not need the driver disk - Windows found the drivers automatically. The keyboard and mouse also did an automatic connection to the USB receiver. If this doesn't happen, there is a connect button on the keyboard to help facilitate the connection. Even though Windows will find and install the drivers automatically, I would recommend using the installation disk as there are additional features beyond the device drivers.

Inside the box is a wireless keyboard, a wireless mouse, a USB receiver, batteries for both the mouse and keyboard, and the driver disk.
The keyboard is about 18" wide by 5½" deep by ¾" tall.

After installation, I unplugged my original keyboard, a traditional Microsoft one. I am currently typing on the Verbatim keyboard. I also have a Wacom Intuos4 Medium Pen Tablet and have found no hardware conflicts.

I have some customer images to show how it compares visually next to a traditional keyboard and mouse.

Here's what I like and don't like about the Verbatim Wireless Slim Keyboard:

PROS:
It has a nice weight to it so it will not slide around on a desk too easily.
The keys are nicely responsive. They are smooth and spaced a little apart making it easier to hit the key you want and not the one next to it. Other keyboards have the keys so large with no gaps so that it is easy to hit multiple keys in one stroke.
It is small, not so much in width but in depth. My traditional keyboard is two inches more in depth.
It takes up less desk space and has no cord to get in the way.
The finish is shiny black and smooth, as is the mouse.
The mouse is much shorter in height than my Microsoft mouse. It has a wheel and two buttons.

CONS:

It does not have a feature to raise the board on more of an angle, although as of now, this is not a huge issue. I know that I like my Microsoft keyboard to be on the biggest angle by using the flip out legs.
It does not have a couple of the extra keys that the Microsoft keyboard has like zoom in and zoom out, and some of the shortcuts for opening email etc. However, I do not use these so again, it depends on the way you use your keyboard.


Overall, I really like the feel of typing on this keyboard. I would say that between the responsiveness and touch of the keys and the clutter free wireless feature, this is a good buy.

I have to add that after using this for a number of days, I've increased my original review from 4 stars to 5. I really like the way the keys react on the keyboard. They have a really solid feel and I make less typing mistakes than with my old keyboard.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keyboard for Slouchers, February 28, 2010

By	M. Hill (Colorado) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Verbatim Wireless Slim Keyboard and Mouse 96983 (Black) (Electronics)

(What's this?)

I am a constant computer user, but not a tech professional. When I acquire technical equipment, I want easy installation and set-up with my main concern a more efficient work site. Set-up was easy - just plug in the USB dongle and, at least with my computers, the drivers automatically loaded. I installed it first on a PC running Windows Vista and then moved it to one running Windows 7. Both loaded the same way and each took less than a minute. I didn't need to use the included install disc.

Batteries are included for both the keyboard and mouse. I had trouble getting the batteries into the mouse because the pull-out tab to remove the batteries kept getting in the way. And, a small thing, but the battery covers seemed a little flimsy. The shiny black finish requires a bit more maintenance, but is easy to keep up by periodically wiping with a microfiber cloth.

On the keyboard, I appreciate the automatic keys that pop up a calculator, My Computer, and Media Player with additional keys to allow control of playlist movement and volume. The keyboard is lightweight and it has a good tactile feel. I immediately felt comfortable typing on it right out of the box.

The mouse has substance and feels comfortable in the hand even after prolonged use. The mouse wheel moves in one-click increments which gives an added level of control, but it does not work on glass, so if using a glass desk, a mouse pad will be necessary.

I am someone who likes to twist into a pretzel, so to be able to lay on the floor and type or slouch away from the screen with the keyboard in my lap, is a freedom I greatly appreciate. These are tools I can absolutely get behind and recommend.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another A/B amazon vine comparison of 2 wireless desktops, February 24, 2010

By	HMMWV "God, Country, Corps" (santa clara, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)

This review is from: Verbatim Wireless Slim Keyboard and Mouse 96983 (Black) (Electronics)

(What's this?)

Previously on amazon vine I evaluated the Microsoft wireless desktop (keyboard/mouse) system with their 3000 series keyboard, which is priced as a kit to within 10 dollars of the Verbatim desktop. I chose to give them both 5 stars, however I will discuss the specifics of the Verbatim unit here and compare it with Microsoft's. If we could award 1/10 stars, Verbatim would rate a 4.7 which rounds up to 5 due to the microsoft blue mouse features that surpasses the Verbatim mouse. The two are both excellent products but designed around different concepts so I'm choosing to review the differences which gives the buyer as much detail on the two excellent products enabling an educated purchase of the system that best suits their needs.

There are 3 parts (the CD and instructions were not needed on a win7 desktop): USB receiver, keyboard, and mouse to evaluate

The receivers are pretty basic - just a stub that plugs into any usb port and looks like a keyboard/mouse on the system. Since few bios's recognize bluetooth today, we are stuck with USB receivers that mimic a real keyboard and mouse. A true bluetooth wireless system can't be guaranteed to work until the o/s is up and running which limits it to number pads on laptops with builtin BT. Microsoft has a unique feature that when you are not using the mouse for an extended period you can remove the receiver and snap it into the bottom of the mouse which powers off the mouse light to save batteries. The Verbatim has a manul 'connect' button which in most cases is not required. Neither product has had a problem here - they are plug and play out of the box with no need to use any connect function.

The keyboards are a bit different. Be sure to take a careful look at the photos - they are the exact same width however the Microsoft board features one additional row of feature keys at the top, and has an ergonomic key rest making it significantly larger - by omitting the extra function keys and palmrest Verbatim was able to make a smaller keyboard - so small in fact it uses AAA batteries while Microsoft uses more common AA size cells. The verbatim keyboard is smaller and lighter. As a buyer you need to consider the value of the size difference and the ergonomic features Microsoft designed into their unit for tabletop use. I like to often use the keyboard on my desktop momentarily as a laptop, then set it aside while video processing is in progress and discovered the smaller size of the Verbatim made this much easier, plus it uses a laptop style Fn key to bring up second functions that replace the extra keys on the much larger microsoft keyboard.

The two companies designed entirely different mice. While microsoft gives you 5 buttons plus a wheel with no detents that rolls freely, Verbatim uses a 3 button mouse with a wheel that has detents on rotation. Small details like this may seem trivial but to a cad user who needs the middle button (which is the wheel in both mice) can not press it without rotating it on Microsoft's design, while the detents in the Verbatim mouse allow its button action to work independently of rotation. Both mice use AA batteries for longer runtime, but Microsoft's technological advantage is in the blue LED illumination which for people who use their mouse on any surface works exceptionally well for a battery powered product. The Verbatim mouse uses a red LED and performs well unless used on a featureless surface. Mouse technology merged with video imaging where they use their LED to take a picture of the surface they rest on quite rapidly with low resolution cmos imagers. The mouse's internal logic uses these sequential photos to determine from one picture to the next where they moved. So long as your surface has some features both mice will work equally well, but on a sheet of featureless white paper, the shorter wavelength of the blue LED in Microsoft's design gives it an edge in finding the smallest detail possible, down to the fibers in paper if necessary. Once again, depending on how you will use the product this could be a big deal or nothing at all - all mousepads have sufficient contrast that all optical mice can find something to work with. I found the Verbatim mouse tracked on almost every surface I tested it with and also noticed it required less movement than the Microsoft mouse to go the same distance on the screen which is an advantage if you are tight for space.

So comparing the two units boils down to this: Both products do what they promise. Microsoft gives you a physically bigger keyboard and mouse while Verbatim shrinks the size of both pieces with very little sacrifice. I wrote this review using the Verbatim keyboard and found it comfortable and able to deal with high speed input. I will update the review with battery life once that data is available. Personally I like the Verbatim form factor for portability and Microsoft for desktop use where you want to cut the cords. Hopefully the information in the reviews gives the buyer enough feel for the product to decide which suits their taste in the end.